Dharma Mama

The Unknown - A New Beginning

Years ago, Jamie and I were doing the communications for Kechara under Kechara Media & Publications. Then as our resources were stretched too thin, that role was quietly shelved. However, I had always thought that communications is a vital area in any organisation, be it secular or spiritual, and had reiterated over the years that we need this department badly. Kechara has grown exponentially since 2005, with departments producing a smorgasbord of books, films, flowers, statues, pendants, pilgrimages, shops, art, documentaries, community services, vegetarian cuisine etc. With this growth, Kechara's need for a communications centre to ensure messages are consistent and unified has become more and more urgent. 

Finally, a few weeks ago, when H.E. Tsem Rinpoche mentioned to a few of his students about the need to improve our social media presence, I thought that it would be a great opportunity to set up a communications centre for Kechara to address the wider needs of the organisation. I had worked in coordinating an international public relations campaign when I was with the Malaysian Timber Council in UK a lifetime ago, and I also had the great opportunity of being part of the Communications Team of the then National Economic Council (NEAC) in the Prime Minister's Department when the Asian Economic Crisis hit in the late '90s. However, it was a whole new ball game to set up a department from scratch. I had been in communications teams but I had no idea about actually running one.

So I asked a friend who was heading a communications team to help me with a communications plans for Kechara. She said yes. Then i invited her to come and visit us and gave her a tour of our organisation. I also gave her some of Rinpoche's books. She stayed up til 5am the next morning reading. A few days later, after a couple more discussions, I asked her if she would like to join me and she accepted! Funnily enough, she told me that if I had asked her a couple of weeks before I did, she was so busy that she would have sent me a draft comms plan and asked me to amend it for my purposes. But the timing as it turned out to be, was perfect. Unbeknown to me, she had just finished her contract and she was looking for something meaningful. And she thought Kechara would fulfil this. Amazing. Coinicidence? I don't think so. I strongly believe she was sent by our Dharma Protector, Lord Setrap! With her joining me, I felt more confident to take this on. However, it was still pretty much something something new.

As I was about to take a great leap into the unknown, H.E. Tsem Rinpoche wrote a blog post about this very topic, The Unknown, in which Rinpoche talked about the purpose of Dharma work and how we should not be afraid of the unknown but instead embrace it and go all the way, because we are 100% sure of the benefits.

At the end of that blog post, Rinpoche composed the following poem for his student, Wei Theng.

The Unknown

The Known and unknown are both feared,
Known is being comfortable and stagnant,
The unknown may be growth and opportunities,
One shall never know if one fears the unknown 
more than the known.
Who says the unknown would be worse than 
the known? But then again, the unknown is sometimes
worse than the known.
In the end nothing is known unless we endeavour,
So go pursue all the way with the unknown, because all 
unknown with familiarity becomes the known.

~Tsem Rinpoche

With this beautiful poem in mind, I decided to let go of my fears of what I did not know and just go for it. It is my privilege and honour to find suitable platforms for Rinpoche to connect with as many people as possible. It is pure selfishness if I do not share this treasury of pure gold with the world. If I do not give the world the opportunities to hear his words of wisdom and have their lives changed for the better, just as mine has. If I do not allow people the merits to support Rinpoche's work. 

So I've been working like mad over the past couple of weeks to set up a communications framework, assemble my team with the necessary skillset, raise funds - thank you to several supportive people, namely Datuk May Phng, the President of Kechara House, head of KWPC exco and head of the Liaisons Council, and Chuah Su Ming, head liaison of Tsem Ladrang, and Phng Li Kim, CEO and Liaison of KMP. Should anyone wish to contribute in any way or form - as volunteers, full-time staff or sponsorship, please contact me directly!

Then last Wednesday, I received Rinpoche's blessings for this new division. It's a large task ahead but I know I will do whatever it takes to make sure it is successful. Because the goal will benefit so many people. Watch this space!

 

Attachment and Love

Attachment is the very opposite of love. Love says, 'I want you to be happy.' Attachment says, 'I want you to make me happy.'

- Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo

I came across this quote today which I thought was very profound. I've always had a problem with the concept of 'Love'. People tell you they will love you forever and of course, if we are Buddhist, we would know that nothing is permanent. However, back when I was only Buddhist in name, I thought that love would last forever. I had known my ex-husband (hah - that is the clue which says there isn't a happy ending, at least not conventionally) since I was 12 years old. Though of course when one is 12 and the other is 17, the age gap is huge. We got to know each other better at Cambridge, where he was doing his post-graduate and I was an undergrad. At 17 and 22, the age gap was a bit narrower and sometime during my second year, we got together. We were soul mates, so I thought, and got married after I graduated. Anyway, yes, we thought we would love each other forever and we did.. for a whole 14 years or so. Then things changed - yes impermanence indeed - and because I was very attached to him, I suffered a lot. Of course I know how I had contributed to the death of my marriage, but it did not stop the pain of loss. If only I had known Dharma then. If I had known Dharma then, I could have stopped the ridiculous behaviour I had exhibited in the expectation of wanting somebody to make me happy. Was it love or attachment? I did want him to be happy - and in my ignorance, I thought he was. However, in my completely self-absorbed and spoilt youth, I was more focused on my own happiness. I also had unrealistic expectations of him to make me happy, and when he did not, through no fault of his, I sought happiness elsewhere, not knowing that this elusive happiness could not be provided by anyone but myself.

"Do we love the people we say we love?” And even if they don’t know what we are doing, we know especially after we’ve listened to the Dharma. We know. “Do we love the people we love?” If we love the people we love, we will stop making excuses for our lack of transformation, Dharma practice and inabilities. We will stop. If we don’t stop, it’s very clear we don’t love anyone but ourselves. 

- Tsem Tulku Rinpoche (From Love without Agenda)

If we transform ourselves to be kinder, more considerate, patient, generous people, we create space to be loved. If we continue to be self-centred and want things all about me, me, me, there is no space for anyone else. 

People always say that they are looking for love, when in reality, they are selfishly looking for someone to love them. In Rinpoche's article, Love without Agenda, Rinpoche brings up very pertinent points about what love should be about. Love should be without agenda. Of course it's not easy but as always, work in progress.

This is my favourite song at the moment...

Offerings of Herbs, Spice and All Things Nice

Herbs and spices have been traditionally associated with healing and curative purposes for thousands of years. From the ancient Egyptian, Chinese and Greek civilisations, the use of medicinal herbs has been studied and refined. Up until today, the efficacy of Chinese herbalism is very well known and widely accepted in both the East and the West.

In the Buddhist tradition, we make offerings to the Three Jewels on a daily basis. H.E. Tsem Tulku Rinpoche recently explained that it is very meaningful to offer herbs, spices, grains, teas and organic foods to the Three Jewels because this types of offering creates the causes for good health and the physical healing of the body from illnesses. These offerings also are very good for those in the health or medical profession, so that their healing works are especially effective. On a broader scale, these offerings also create the causes of physical and symbolic abundance as well as inner and outer growth.

We can offer these items to both our Yidam and our Dharma Protector.

When we make offerings to our Yidam, we visualise that these items are multiplied and in great abundance. As these items all come from the earth, we visualise that all positive energies from the earth are imbued in the items. As we make these offerings, we make the wish for good health and we can also pray for inner growth - which is the transformation of our minds in order to achieve spiritual growth.  

When we make these offerings to our Dharma Protector, we pray for outer growth - which is the increase of resources, support, people, sponsors, buildings etc. We pray for the swift manifestation of this physical growth so that we can achieve the inner growth we are striving for through our Yidam practice.

I liked this teaching from Rinpoche very much because it is very logical. As herbs, spices, foods are grown from the earth, they are sustenance for us and provide healing and energy to our bodies. When we make offerings of these very items to the Three Jewels, we create the causes for us to receive the same things - for positive things to grow and come to fruition.

Thank you to Rinpoche for this precious teaching and Jamie Khoo also for sharing. Now, we can make these offerings at home in order to achieve the growth we all need to progress on our spiritual journey!

 

Do You Believe in Reincarnation

Today's topic at our Kechara Sunday Talk was 'Reincarnation'. A very juicy topic. Pastor Susan started off by asking who believed in reincarnation. About half the audience said they believed in reincarnation while a quarter said they mostly believed in reincarnation. However, the remaining quarter did not say that they disbelieved. Perhaps they were merely sitting on the fence. 

Pastor Susan screened a video which H.E. Tsem Tulku Rinpoche had conceptualised last year. Read Rinpoche's blog post on this and watch the video below.

After the screening, we had a lively, interactive discussion over our various different views about reincarnation - whether it could be proven or not etc. What struck me most about the talk today was what Pastor Susan said; that if we say we believe in reincarnation, what are we doing about it? If we believe in reincarnation, it means that we believe that we will be reborn into another form of life after the death of our current physical body. Whatever form our future life takes, is currently completely dependent on our karma. What determines our karma is our actions. Therefore, logically speaking, if we are at all concerned about our next life - that we would have at the very least the 18 opportune conditions again, we would be doing all we can to purify our negative karma and accumulate merits for a good rebirth.

The Vajrayana tradition emphasises urgency, that we should live each day like it was our last.

"Live every day as if it were your last, because one of these days, it will be.” ~ Jeremy Schwartz

Yet there are many people who are still living as if they are immortal. For the average person, learning about Dharma is a past time for the distant future; definitely not now, because there are so many other commitments and responsibilities that need to take priority. What I am worried about is that death doesn't wait until our responsibilities are over. And we usually won't know when death comes. What is for sure is that death doesn't necessarily wait until you are old and grey. Like dear Justin Ripley, who was taken at the age of 37. And Don Tan, who was taken from us when he was barely 21 (yes I remember you, Don). Everyday is a day closer to death. It may sound a bit morbid but it's the truth. 

So, do you believe in reincarnation? If you do, what are you doing about it?

Justin Ripley, 1975-2011

"Me with Rinpoche - what merits did I have to have my path cross with Rinpoche. That I can do dharma work and share modern day dharma to the world. Rinpoche has said many times, through a keyboard and a computer we can change so many peoples lives. Thank you Rinpoche for a precious opportunity."
- Justin Ripley, Wat Muang, Ang Thong, Thailand, 23, August 2011

 

I first met Justin when he had a headful of dreadlocks and I wondered how someone who looked like such a hippy could be a Buddhist (yes, I was very, very sheltered and knew nothing about Buddhism then). I soon realised that Justin was one of the warmest, kindest, sweetest people I could meet at Kechara. While he was a man of few words, he had such a gentle and amiable nature that he always made friends easily. 

One of Justin's unseen talents as a model! This was for a book cover shoot we did - where Justin kindly sweated away under the photographic lights so we could take these shots. 

On 23 December 2011, larger than life Justin suffered a fatal heart failure. He was only 37 years old. I couldn't absorb the news when I first heard. How could it be true? He was so young. It was only later that the doctors said that one of the valves in Justin's heart was faulty and it was just a matter of time. Justin's heart was a time bomb but we never suspected a thing. Justin's father had also passed on not too long ago from a stroke so congenital heart failure should not have been a surprise. Heart problems are notoriously hereditary so if there is any history of cardiac problems in your family - best get it checked out.

It is always a complete delusion for us to believe that we are immortal. In a sense, we are - as we coast from life to life. What is scary though is not knowing what we will be in our next life. From my accumulated eons of negative karma, it is more likely that I will be born as a cockroach in my next life. For Justin, however, he will be fine. He had spent the last few years doing what he loved best - serving H.E. Tsem Tulku Rinpoche, and serving the Dharma. He was multitalented and had been with various Kechara departments - being a team lead at Kechara Soup Kitchen, helping design Kechara Media & Publications' books (the cover of Gurus for Hire was designed by Justin), helping out at Kechara Saraswati Arts and then joining Tsem Ladrang. His most recent post was as one of Rinpoche's P.A.s in Tsem Ladrang's private office. 

Rinpoche loved Justin greatly and always appreciated his contributions - from cooking (and he made the most splendid vegetarian burgers and lasagne!) to websites (Rinpoche's blog especially). Justin also recently travelled with Rinpoche to Bangkok and Singapore and I particularly love the photo of Rinpoche and Justin at the top of this post.

It's been barely a week since Justin left us and most of us are still shell shocked by the loss of our dear Dharma brother and friend. Just last Thursday, on 22nd of December, I had posted on Facebook looking for a web designer to help with a site on Dharma Protector Setrap which I desperately wanted to renovate. Justin had messaged me saying, "I would silently like to put my hand up for this one." That was Justin all over. Always ready to help out quietly, with no desire for glory or acknowledgement. Just because he could. We chatted briefly about websites and that was my last conversation with him.

When is it our turn? Do we leave our future lives up to the karmic roulette wheel? Or do we commit ourselves towards benefiting others, like Justin did? To have the excellent karma to be able to have such a close relationship with Rinpoche is rare and vastly meritorious. To pass away while doing Dharma work and being near a high Lama is even more amazingly meritorious. To pass away quickly, without suffering, and within a Dharma environment would be the perfect way to leave this life to create the opportune conditions to continue our spiritual journey in the next. If I had a choice in how I'd like to go, this would be it.

Rinpoche has said that Justin is okay. And that's all I'm concerned about. That he's okay and he's in a good place. The best way to remember Justin would be to continue his legacy - to work hard for the cause he believed so passionately in - the Dharma - and his strong devotion to Rinpoche. 

We all miss you Justin, and always will. But we will be looking out for you to come back to us soon and join us at KWPC!

Read more about Justin:
Beautiful People: Justin Ripley - by Jamie Khoo
See you soon, brother - Khong Jean Ai

 

 

An Opportunity to Give

This evening, Wendy, her friend Jessica and I were having a drink at a coffeeshop in SunwayMas. We sat on the road as it was cooler. There were a few motorbikes parked next to us and suddenly a guy on one of them just grabbed Wendy's bag and disappeared down the road on his bike. It was so fast I couldn't believe my eyes. Wendy had put her bag on the chair next to her and the guy just lifted it and scrammed! 

He would be upset when he opens the bag later though, because Wendy told us that what was in her bag were her Dharma books - Liberation in the Palm of your Hand, Gurus for Hire, Tsongkhapa and some papers. Although the thief wouldn't be happy, at least by even seeing the Lamrim, he would have had some Dharma seeds planted.

Wendy also had her house keys in the bag, but she lives in Negeri Sembilan so we hope that the thief is not going to go all the way there to rob their house. Still, to play safe, she called her father to change the locks. Fortunately, Wendy was quite cool about the theft though she wasn't happy about losing a book cover which wasn't easy to find.

KH Ng, who happened to have just finished eating at the coffeeshop, immediately offered a new copy of Liberation in the Palm of your Hand to Wendy. My 14 year old son, Sean, had been reciting the Lamrim at Kechara House so I smsed him to come over when he was done. When he came over, he first asked if Wendy was okay and then which books she had lost. He asked how much were the books, which added up to around Rm140. Immediately, he dug out his wallet and took out some cash and offered it to Wendy to buy new books. He doesn't normally have so much cash, but his birthday had just passed and he had received some angpows. He had donated most of it to Rinpoche's long life puja fund but had kept some for himself.

We were all quite tickled with his earnestness. I was very proud that he took the opportunity on his own initiative to give. Another Dharma Mama moment!

Logical explanation of why vegetarianism is more suited to Mankind

H.E. Tsem Tulku Rinpoche just posted this on his blog which I wanted to share. Physiologically humans are meant to be vegetarian. It is just habituation which makes us omnivores. For example, cats are carnivores but they will eat rice and vegetables if mixed in their food. Just because they can eat vegetables, it doesn't mean that they are omnivores. Similarly, humans are not omnivores just because we can eat meat. It's an interesting proposition.

This is what Rinpoche posted:

In a world of deep divine faith…

“An examination of the structure of the human body leads to the conclusion that man is intended by nature to live on a vegetable diet. There is the closest affinity between the organs of the human body and those of the fruit eating animals. The monkey for instance is so similar to man in shape and structure, and it is a fruit eating animal. Its teeth and stomach are just like the teeth and stomach of man while those of carnivorous animals, as for instance, the lion and tiger, are entirely different.”

– Mahatma Gandhi

PHYSIOLOGICAL COMPARISONS

MEAT – EATER

• Have claws.
• No skin pores, perspires through tongue.
• Sharp front teeth for tearing.
• No flat molar teeth for grinding.
• Intestinal tract 2 times body length so rapidly decaying meat can pass out quickly.
• Strong hydrochloric acid to digest meat.

HERBIVORE

• No claws.
• Perspire through skin pores.
• No sharp front teeth and has flat rear molars.
• Intestinal tract 10-12 times body length.
• Stomach acid 20 times less strong than meat-eaters.

MAN

• No claws.
• Perspires through skin pores.
• No sharp front teeth and has flat rear molars.
• Intestinal tract 12 times body length.
• Stomach acid 20 times less strong than meat-eaters.

The Stamina of a Camel,
The Strength of an Elephant
And the Beauty of a Horse
Are all sustained on a Vegetarian Diet.

A Family Pilgrimage to Bodhgaya

About six months ago, my father suffered from congenital heart failure. Distressed, I knew that aside from medical treatment, the best thing I could do for my father was to request from H.E. Tsem Tulku Rinpoche what pujas could be done to help his health. Rinpoche kindly suggested several pujas for my father, which included a pilgrimage to Bodhgaya, India! The very place where the historical Buddha Lord Shakyamuni manifested attaining Enlightenment!

I had always wanted to visit and what better purpose than to take my lovely parents. However, at that time, my dad was in ICU and I wondered how he would be able to go to India. The fact that Rinpoche recommended a pilgrimage meant that my dad would be able to go so I found it very heartening. It was also suggested that we should go towards the end of the year as the weather was better.

Finally, the pilgrimage was booked for 25th November and the week before that, my dad had water in his lungs and he was anxious whether he could travel. I assured him that I had let Rinpoche know when we were leaving and as Rinpoche did not advise us not to go, there would be no problems. My dad asked, does it work like that? I replied yes, it does. At that time, Rinpoche himself was under the weather and in Singapore for medical tests. Two days before our departure, Rinpoche sent a video message for my parents which moved me deeply. Rinpoche has so much to do and was in pain, yet he thinks only of others. While the video is quite personal, I would like to share it here because I think that it shows Rinpoche’s tremendously compassionate care.

Having visited Bangalore and Gaden Monastery in Mundgod before, I was kind of ready for Bodhgaya. However, it was my parents’ first trip to India and I was slightly concerned that they may not be ready for the very basic conditions there. My parents were in good spirits though, especially after watching the video message from Rinpoche.

We were traveling in a party of five - my friend and Dharma sister, Dato’ Ruby Khong, my parents, my son Sean and I. Dato’ Ruby is one of Rinpoche’s senior students and she is the President of Kechara Soup Kitchen, which distributes food to the homeless and urban poor in Malaysia. Despite her extremely hectic schedule, she had kindly volunteered to accompany us on this trip as she had been to Bodhgaya a few times.

On the afternoon of 25th, we arrived and settled my parents in at the hotel I had booked on the internet. The hotel, called Vishal International, was very basic and rather dirty - nothing like the photos on the internet, which was to be expected I guess. This hotel was ranked #2 on tripadvisor.com so I thought that perhaps this was the best Bodhgaya had to offer.  Anyway, I settled my parents in and  then  Dato’ Ruby and I went to organise offerings for the next day.

We bought robes to offer to the Buddha statue at the Mahabodhi stupa and also checked out the temple. Dato' Ruby had asked the monk at the Mahabodhi stupa for a recommendation for a restaurant and he told us to go to Niranjana. So that evening, we had dinner at Niranjana Hotel. This hotel looked cleaner so I suggested we change to that hotel. At first my mother was hesitant as she said that they had already unpacked but I told them that we were Kechara-trained and can move anywhere anytime anyhow!

So we checked into the Niranjana and left my parents there while Dato’ Ruby, Sean and I returned to our hotel to pack everything and move over. My dad later told me that he was much happier that we had changed hotel. My mom said that she thought that going on pilgrimage meant roughing it out so she hadn't minded. I explained that we did not need to 'suffer' just because we are on pilgrimage and that Rinpoche would want us to make sure that our parents are comfortable. Perhaps for my dad to appreciate the Niranjana, he had to have seen Vishal! Anyway, we slept fitfully and well and early the next morning, we went to visit the Mahabodhi Temple.

The Mahabodhi Temple is a stupa which was reportedly built by King Ashoka in 3rd century BCE. The current structure has been destroyed and rebuilt and restored over the centuries. Rinpoche has also shared before that this very spot is one of the most potent power places in the world. Buddha chose this spot to attain Enlightenment for a reason. When planet earth is destroyed in the future, this will be the last spot to disappear. This spot will also be the first to appear when the world is formed again. 

Sean, my parents and I at the entrance to the Mahabodhi Stupa

My parents making offerings of fruits and flowers.

The monk offering the robes to Lord Buddha on our behalf.

My dad watching the robes being offered and making prayers.

Family picture at the altar.

Close up of Buddha's beautifully serene face.

Looking at Buddha's footprints, which is just next to the Bodhi tree.

Buddha's foot prints! He must have been at least 7 feet tall!

In front of the Bodhi Tree...

We then circumambulated the Stupa 21 times as suggested by Rinpoche.

After we finished circumambulating, we made prayers and dedications...
 

I was very surprised that my dad could walk 21 times round the stupa, albeit with short breaks to rest. At home, he has hardly been walking as he gets dizzy and is physically weak. He even said that he felt much better at Bodhgaya than he did at home in Penang. The Buddha's blessings never fail to amaze me.

We went back to the hotel to rest for awhile then in the evening, we came back to Mahabodhi to make butterlamp offerings.

Beautiful night scene.

It was an incredible day. The weather was perfect, the conditions were all perfect. It was not too crowded and everything was simply just right. I am so appreciative of Dato' Ruby for accompanying us making this trip so fantastically smooth (and taking many photos for us - she has a natural eye for good angles!). But what was so spectacular about this trip was the opportunity to bring my parents to one of the holiest Buddhist places in the world and that they are blessed with Dharma imprints for Enlightenment.

To visit, make offerings and circumambulate this holy site together is definitely very precious and something I didn't think would happen if not for Rinpoche. Rinpoche has always said that bringing Dharma to our loved ones is the best way to repay their kindness. My parents have looked after me all my life and now that they are getting older, and my dad's health is fragile, I feel that I am so fortunate that I can make a real contribution to their well being by dedicating my Dharma work and prayers to them. I am so grateful to Rinpoche everyday for bringing the Buddhadharma to my family and I.

As well as praying for my parents' health at Bodhgaya, I also made a wish that Rinpoche's health be stable and good, that Rinpoche's vision for KWPC manifest and may Rinpoche live long and continue to turn the wheel of Dharma to benefit many more families like us.

Pioneer Pastors at Kechara

When I first heard the news that Susan was going to be ordained as a pastor, I was very happy and proud. Susan, at 38 years old, has had an amazing spiritual journey and I know that being ordained as one of the first Buddhist pastors at Kechara House is a great milestone for her. Susan and three others, Ngeow Voon Chin, Chia Song Peng and Kok Yek Yee, had been selected by H.E. Tsem Tulku Rinpoche to be the pioneer pastors who are to be ordained on 24 October 2011 at Kechara House. 

Most people already know that Rinpoche comes from the incredible Gaden tradition of Lama Tsongkhapa, the founder of the Gelugpa school of Tibetan Buddhism. What is tremendously exciting about this pastorship is that Rinpoche is empowering lay people to continue this unbroken lineage of authentic teachings, which can be traced back to Buddha Shakyamuni himself. 

The Pastors will serve to bridge the gap between the congregation and the Sangha, by communicating Dharma to those seeking spiritual knowledge and guidance in a more familiar and accessible way. The four pioneer Pastors are diverse personalities coming from different backgrounds and experiences who will appeal to different groups of people. You would think that Susan appeals to the young, fun and quirky crowd and you would be right. What many don't know is that she is also popular with the older group; and is often seen patiently explaining to some of the elderly Dharma students - from points of Dharma to how to switch on a computer! As one of the facilitators of the Lam Rim class and a speaker at Kechara Sunday Talks, she is comfortable with both the young and old alike.

Susan giving a Dharma talk with Sean as her assistant!

Excited about the upcoming ordination, I began to invite our mutual friends to attend the upcoming ceremony, in conjunction with Rinpoche's 46th birthday - a very auspicious day for the ordination.

"Susan is about to become a pastor," I told our friends.

"But I thought she was Buddhist?"

"Yes, she is going to be a Buddhist pastor!"

I guess the term "pastor" is usually more commonly associated with an ordained leader of a Christian congregation but in our case is referred to the Buddhist congregation at Kechara. In the USA, Buddhist temples are also commonly referred to as churches, and the monks as priests, which I was surprised at when I first heard of it.

Anyway, I digress. When our friends heard the news, they poured in their congratulations and I was happily accepting - then realised that the congratulations were actually to Susan and not me, so I quickly prompted Susan to thank them for their well-wishes! Several of them are coming to Kechara for the first time to witness this event and we will be very happy to have them with us. (If you haven't RSVPed to me yet, please do asap!!)

I'm very excited about this new pastorship program at Kechara. It will be inspiring for Dharma students that pastorship is something anyone can aspire towards - to really take Dharma practice to the next level through learning, sharing and benefiting others. Rinpoche has hinted that a few other students are potential pastors and I hope to see them ordained soon too. In the meantime, I look forward to 24 October. I am sure it will be life-changing - for Susan and the others who will become Kechara's first pastors. May the blessings of Rinpoche and the Dharma bring the best out of them as they take on their new roles.